In the vending and utilization of many products, particularly where the product is repeatedly dispensed in small, variable quantities, the form of packaging has a great influence on the buyers, and on the buyers utilization of the product.
In the case of certain soft commestibles such as jam and honey, one very successful container has comprised a plastic container of a size and form suitable for being held in the hand of a user, the container having a removable screw top for inserting product therein, the screw top having an upwardly projecting small dispensing lipped aperture with a pivoted closure cap, for use by a user in dispensing a desired quantity of the contents.
In use, the cap is generally pivoted to an open position, clear of the dispensing aperture. The container is then inverted, to assist the viscid contents to flow under the influence of gravity in covering relation downwardly over the inlet to the dispensing aperture Manual compression of the container walls then expresses a desired quantity of the contents through the dispensing aperture under a build-up of internal air pressure above the contents, within the container. Cessation of the applied manual pressure then terminates flow of the container contents, so that the container can be returned to an upright position, and the dispensing aperture recapped.
One of the main drawbacks of such prior art containers is the time delay required, subsequent to inverting the container, before dispensing can actually take place, during which time the viscid contents are required to flow from one end of the container to the other under the influence of gravity, or else the air contents initially located above the product transfers as a bubble, to the upper side of the product, on inversion of the container. In any case, the delay is inconvenient, and can encourage users to shake the container in order to accelerate the contents reversal, sometimes with unpleasant results such as contents spillage or uncontrolled expulsion.
A further drawback to this type of prior art arrangement is the hardening of contents, due to agitation and mixing with the air present within the container, which can impede opening of the closure cap, while creating an undesirable quantity of fouled product.
In the case of screw cap containers of the prior art, the container lip can become fouled with the product. The container contents that become deposited on the screw cap or lid inner surfaces and in the container thread bands are difficult and time consuming to remove, and become stale and oxidized, and in the case of some products, become unpleasantly odorous. All of the contents cannot be readily dispensed, with consequent wastage, upon disposal of the container.
Also known in the prior art are containers containing a hand pump. These leave contents in the bottom of the container that are impossible to dispense and are inclined to be messy. Such containers are difficult to pack for travelling.
In the case of invertable containers having enlarged closure caps with flat heads, upon which the container can be stood in an inverted position, such containers are known for use with hand creams, hair shampoos and conditioners, and in the case of the PEARL DROPS product, with a dentifrice.
The tubular containers generally having a cylindrical cap may be stored horizontally or in an inverted position upon their caps. In the horizontal position the benefits of inversion are lost.
The PEARL DROPS container, having an inverted cone cap, may be stored in either inverted or upright positions, and thus can readily sacrifice the benefits of inversion. Reversal of a container to an upright position substantially negates the benefits of inverted storage.
The closure caps of these prior dispensers require to be removed in order for the product to be dispensed. Being screw caps, this requires the unscrewing of the cap, which frequently impells the user instinctively to return the container to an upright position, thus sacrificing much of the benefits of container inversion.
The screw cap closures are inconvenient to access in the inverted condition, while there generally is difficulty in viewing the progress of the initial flow of the contents during dispensing.